Encyclopedia

Dravidians

Dravidians (druvid'ēuns) [key], name sometimes given to the peoples of S and central India and N Sri Lanka who speak Dravidian languages. They are so called for purely linguistic reasons; the peoples are of varying racial types. It is thought that Dravidian-speaking peoples may have been spread throughout the Indian subcontinent before the invasions of the Aryans.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

More on Dravidians from Fact Monster:

  • Dravidian languages - Dravidian languages Dravidian languages , family of about 23 languages that appears to be unrelated ...
  • Chidambaram - Chidambaram Chidambaram , town (1991 pop. 67,949), Tamil Nadu state, SE India. It markets rice and ...
  • Pallava - Pallava Pallava , S Indian dynasty that established its capital at Kanchipuram in the 4th cent. ...
  • Gond - Gond Gond , ethnic group in central India. The group is now divided among the states of Andhra ...
  • Vijayawada - Vijayawada Vijayawada , formerly Bezwada,city (1991 pop. 845,756), Andhra Pradesh state, SE India, ...

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Peoples (except New World)
© 2000–2008 Pearson Education, publishing as Fact Monster